Since 2017, every driver whose car has studded tires installed must install the appropriate sign on the vehicle. The absence of a symbol entails a monetary fine. There are several requirements for the Thorn sign. Below is information on the size, placement and period of installation of the symbol on the car.
Why do you need a sign "Spikes"?
It is a warning for rear-mounted drivers. The sign informs them that the vehicle has wheel tires with spikes. This means that they need to increase the distance. This is due to the fact that the braking distance of a vehicle with installed studded tires is much shorter than some motorists might think. Thus, the participants of the movement, located behind, need to increase the distance so as not to provoke the occurrence of a traffic accident.
In addition, spikes often fly out from under the wheels of such cars. If you do not observe a considerable distance, solid objects will strike into the windshields of vehicles moving behind the vehicles, similar in force to impact to medium-sized stones.
What does the symbol look like
According to the requirements of the SDA, the sign "Spikes" is an equilateral triangle of white color. The figure is enclosed in a border. The latter is red. Directly in the center of the triangle is the letter "W". It should be noticeable, in connection with which it is painted black.
Is a sign required?
Until 2017, each driver had the right to decide independently whether he needed this symbol. Then, a number of documents were amended. According to the new requirements, the sign "Spikes" must be placed on the vehicle on which the appropriate type of rubber is installed.
By a government decree (No. 333 dated March 24, 2017), the absence of a symbol was included in the list of malfunctions in the presence of which further operation of the vehicle is prohibited. According to the new requirements, the sign “Spikes” must be installed immediately after the violation is detected (if it was not prudently placed before the meeting with the traffic police inspector). Otherwise, the authorized person will not only write a fine, but also prohibit moving on. In other words, the operation of the vehicle is not possible until the driver fixes the problem.
When to set a sign?
The main role is played by the seasonal factor. According to the requirements of the Rules, the sign "Spikes" must be installed on the car immediately after winter tires appear on it.
In addition, it is necessary to be guided by the current legislation. Officially, studded tires are not allowed in the summer. Spring and fall - a time when the driver has the right to independently decide on how it is more convenient for him to ride. At the same time, summer tires are also forbidden to operate in the winter. The rest of the time, again, you need to be guided by weather events.
At the local legislative level, the length of the winter and summer period can be changed. This is due to the climatic features of a particular area. For example, the difference in the length of winter time in the Yamal-Nenets Okrug and Krasnodar Territory is significant. Thus, regional changes are reasonable, and you need to carefully monitor the news.
At the same time, according to the requirements for the "Spikes" sign, the symbol can be installed even in the absence of winter tires.In other words, for its presence in the summer the inspector of the traffic police cannot be fined. In this regard, it is not necessary to peel it off and reinstall it every season. On the contrary, the presence of a warning can cause rear-facing traffic participants to increase their distance, which significantly reduces the risk of an accident.
Size requirements
The symbol must be visible to other drivers. According to the requirements of GOST, the “Spikes” sign is a triangle, the side of which must be at least 20 cm. The border must also comply with the established state standard. It is necessary that its width is 1/10 of the size of the side of the triangle. The letter Ш must be inscribed in black in the border. The width and height of the latter are not regulated by any document.
Existing requirements for the size of the spikes mark establish only minimum values. In other words, the symbol can be huge and cover almost the entire rear window. However, there is no need to make a sign so large. The sizes regulated by official documentation provide the symbol with a good degree of visibility.
It is important to remember that the sign should not cover the license plate of the car. In addition, with the existing symbol, it is necessary to ensure the correct operation of the rear wiper.
Placement requirements
The installation location of the warning is not clearly regulated. Information regarding what requirements for the mark “Spikes” are presented is reflected in paragraph 8 of the “Basic Provisions”. According to the current legislation, it is necessary to place a warning symbol on the rear of the vehicle, but in such a way that other road users can clearly visualize it.
In other words, the requirements for installing the "Spikes" sign on a car are very loyal. The location of the symbol can be adjusted depending on the design features of the vehicle.
Experienced drivers and instructors teaching in driving schools recommend installing a sign on top of the rear window. According to experts, the warning symbol located in this place is noticeable and clearly visible to other road users.
The sign may be installed both on the outside of the glass and on the inside. It is important that the symbol does not interfere with the driver of the vehicle itself, that is, does not reduce the degree of vision.
If the rear window of the car is tinted, the sign must be placed on the outside. It is advisable to install it in the part that is well cleared of snow with a brush or wipers. If desired, the sign can be placed on the body and on the bumper.
Visibility requirements
The symbol should be visible in any weather and at any time of the day. According to the requirements for the sign, "Spikes" should be easily visualized by other road users at a distance of 20 meters. In bad weather and dark, this rule continues to apply. That is why some drivers prefer to purchase or make their own sign, the dimensions of which are larger than those established by official documentation.
Penalties
Since April 2017, the absence of a symbol on a car with installed studded tires is punishable. The traffic police inspector has the right to fine the offender for 500 rubles. In this case, the actions of the authorized person are based on a document that lists all conditions and malfunctions when further operation of the vehicle is not possible. As mentioned above, the symbol is a warning, the absence of which prevents the driver from traveling by car until the violation has been eliminated.
Documents governing the requirements for the mark "Spikes"
Directly about the need for the presence of the symbol is written in the "Basic Provisions", reflecting the conditions for admitting the vehicle to use.In addition, the document provides information on how drivers should ensure road safety. The requirement to install a sign in the presence of studded tires is reflected in paragraph 8 of the document. There is also a list of other mandatory characters.
This paragraph also indicates the requirements for the installation of the sign "Spikes" and its size.
In April 2017, the list of conditions and malfunctions was updated, in the presence of which it is forbidden to drive a car. About the sign "Spikes" is written in paragraph 7.15.1.
If there is no symbol, the inspector may write a fine. Moreover, he will be guided by the information reflected in Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
Is it possible to become guilty of an accident in the absence of a sign?
Not a single driver is safe from the fact that a car will not crash into it from behind. But how will the traffic police inspectors behave if a warning sign about the presence of studded tires was not installed on the vehicle?
The culprit of the accident may argue that he did not keep a great distance, so he was not aware that the braking distance of the car moving in front was much shorter. In this case, he may demand that both drivers suffer equal punishment.
In practice, in such situations, an official identifies a causal relationship. Obviously, the distance (according to the SDA) is a precedent concept. In other words, if an accident occurred, it was unsafe in any case. Moreover, the presence of a warning symbol would hardly affect the course of events.
However, in court, guilt can be found to be mutual. This is not excluded if the driver crashing from behind during an appeal will prove that the presence of the symbol would be a factor that made him keep a great distance.
Where to get
You can buy a sign directly in stores for motorists. In addition, it can be ordered on the Internet sites. Products are often sold in bookstores.
Initially, it is necessary to decide which method of fastening should have a sign. The most popular symbol is currently suction cups. The sign has 3 self-fixing elements. At the same time, it is easy to install and remove, it does not leave hard-to-wash marks on the glass or bumper. The sign "Spikes" on the suction cups is reusable. Its cost varies between 100-150 rubles. A similar price for a product on a magnet.
The cheapest option is stickers. Recently, however, cases of acquiring products that do not meet the requirements of the Rules and GOST have become more frequent. In such a situation, it is recommended to take measurements before buying the mark.
The sticker has 2 significant drawbacks - it is disposable and, when removed, often leaves hardly washed out traces on the glass. Moreover, its cost is only 20 rubles.
If the traffic police inspector has identified a violation and prohibits further operation of the car, it is permissible to draw a sign on the spot yourself. It is enough to buy pencils, felt-tip pens and scissors in the nearest stationery store. It is only important to comply with the requirements for the placement of the sign "Spikes" and its size.
How to be the owners of a lip system?
The so-called "Velcro", although it does not apply to studded tires, but its task is also to combat slipping in the winter. At the same time, according to numerous tests, the braking distance with the installed lip system is even shorter. In other words, with emergency braking, the risk of a traffic accident is very high. But the culprit will no longer be able to evade responsibility, since the current legislation does not contain a word regarding the unsafe operation of wheels with a lip system.
Thus, despite the shorter braking distance, the traffic police inspector is not entitled to write a fine to their owners. The installation of the sign "Spikes" is also not required for such rubber.
Finally
The "Spikes" sign is a symbol warning the rear of moving drivers that studded tires are installed on the vehicle. This means that the braking distance of the car in front is much shorter. In other words, an accident may occur during emergency braking.
The "Spikes" sign has certain requirements. It should look like an equilateral white triangle with a red border. The black letter "W" should be placed inside. The minimum dimensions of the sign are regulated by official documentation: side length - 20 cm, border - 2 cm. The symbol must also meet the requirements of visibility. Other road users should see it well at a distance of up to 20 m, including in bad weather and in the dark.
For non-compliance with requirements or for the absence of a sign, the violator faces a fine. As already mentioned, the size of the latter is 500 rubles.